Home Decorating Fabric Basics

Home decorating fabric has been used for countless projects and is available in a wide range of colors, textures and patterns. It is ideal for upholstering couches and chairs, crafting drapes, making bed linens, tablecloths and napkins, rugs and carpets, and even creating a unique piece of wall art. With all the choices and applications, choosing the right decorator fabric for your project can seem overwhelming. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the basics to help you get started.

The most common home decorating fabrics are cotton, polyester and olefin. These are soft, durable and readily available. Cotton is a natural, breathable and absorbent material that can be dyed and printed to add color and pattern. It is ideal for light upholstery projects and a variety of craft and DIY projects. Polyester is a manmade fabric that is very durable, easy to clean and resists pilling and fading. It is often blended with other materials, such as natural and silk fibers, to enhance its strength. Olefin is a petroleum-based synthetic that is highly resistant to staining and water damage. It is also a popular choice for heavy furniture like sofas and chairs.

In addition to these common fabrics, there are many specialty fabrics that are also suitable for home decorating. Lace, faux leather and velvet are examples of this type of fabric. They are generally thicker and more dense than woven cotton, but they can still be used in lightweight projects and may be embroidered to create a unique piece of wall art.

Home decorating fabrics are available in a broad range of types and weights, each with its own benefits. Natural, or natural-fiber, fabrics are those woven from natural fibers such as cotton grown in a field, wool sheared from sheep and silk produced by a worm. Among these are muslin and gingham, which are both light-weight and breathable. They are ideal for a variety of light-duty and outdoor projects, such as curtains and blinds.

While home decor fabric has been incorporated in interior design for decades, it’s becoming increasingly popular to use as an alternative to wallpaper or paint. For example, you can create a simple wall mural by covering pieces of wood with a colorful fabric and attaching them to the wall using decorative tacks.

Adding fabric to your home decor is an inexpensive way to update the look and feel of a room. It can also be a fun way to decorate for holidays or special occasions. For instance, you can create a festive wreath or decorate a table for Thanksgiving by wrapping rough-edged ribbons of fabric around each place setting. Other fun ways to incorporate fabric into your home include creating chair cushions, tying a scarf around the back of a dining chair, or adding a pop of color and texture to your walls by framing colored or dyed fabric in embroidery hoops. You can also create functional decor by sewing fabric bins for storage or hanging a reusable fabric chandelier in your entryway.